How to use pequalizer in Fossapup64

[bigpuppyfan]

For me, as an avid trance listener, pequalizer is an essential tool (a system-wide equalizer)
It can be obtained here https://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/p ... ages-tahr/

However, it wasn't working in Fossapup64. Took me a while, but I'm glad I figured out the problem, so just wanted to share for whomever it may interest. While one can also run

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alsamixer -D equal

this does not allow presets to be saved, nor does it remain saved after reboot

The problem is that while the pequalizer application opens, the level changes are not being passed to ALSA. The reason is that the labels for the frequencies have changed (not sure if related to new libraries, new ALSA version, etc - irrelevant).

So, when opening pequalizer (necessary before running the following command to activate the system-wide equalizer in amixer), terminal yields the following:

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root# amixer -D equal scontrols
Simple mixer control '00. 31 Hz',0
Simple mixer control '01. 63 Hz',0
Simple mixer control '02. 125 Hz',0
Simple mixer control '03. 250 Hz',0
Simple mixer control '04. 500 Hz',0
Simple mixer control '05. 1 kHz',0
Simple mixer control '06. 2 kHz',0
Simple mixer control '07. 4 kHz',0
Simple mixer control '08. 8 kHz',0
Simple mixer control '09. 16 kHz',0

Those numbers before the frequencies have changed in the new version, so amixer was refusing to take anything from pequalizer
To fix this, one has to edit /usr/local/pequalizer/func and change those numbers in lines 12-21:

1) FR="31Hz"; FREQ='01. 31 Hz';;
2) FR="63Hz"; FREQ='02. 63 Hz';;
3) FR="125Hz"; FREQ='03. 125 Hz';;
4) FR="250Hz"; FREQ='04. 250 Hz';;
5) FR="500Hz"; FREQ='05. 500 Hz';;
6) FR="1kHz"; FREQ='06. 1 kHz';;
7) FR="2kHz"; FREQ='07. 2 kHz';;
8) FR="4kHz"; FREQ='08. 4 kHz';;
9) FR="8kHz"; FREQ='09. 8 kHz';;
10) FR="16kHz"; FREQ='10. 16 kHz';;

so that they match the result above and look like:
1) FR="31Hz"; FREQ='00. 31 Hz';;
2) FR="63Hz"; FREQ='01. 63 Hz';;
3) FR="125Hz"; FREQ='02. 125 Hz';;
4) FR="250Hz"; FREQ='03. 250 Hz';;
5) FR="500Hz"; FREQ='04. 500 Hz';;
6) FR="1kHz"; FREQ='05. 1 kHz';;
7) FR="2kHz"; FREQ='06. 2 kHz';;
8) FR="4kHz"; FREQ='07. 4 kHz';;
9) FR="8kHz"; FREQ='08. 8 kHz';;
10) FR="16kHz"; FREQ='09. 16 kHz';;

and the same in line 43 and 75

[bigpuppyfan]

I never used spot before for browsing, but started running Pale Moon as spot in my latest remaster. Unfortunately when doing this pequalizer doesn't do anything to the audio stream from whichever browser running as spot. Alsaequal would give errors when su spot, as by default it accesses .asoundrc from root.

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root# su spot
root$ amixer -D equal
ALSA lib control.c:1379:(snd_ctl_open_noupdate) Invalid CTL equal
amixer: Mixer attach equal error: No such file or directory

The solution is actually pretty simple:

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run-as-spot pequalizer

(whatever presets already saved in /root/.pequalizer/preset will have to be copied to /home/spot/.pequalizer/preset)

Personally I edited the menu shortcut for the application (/usr/share/applications/pequalizer.desktop), since I only use it for audio from the browser:
Exec=run-as-spot /usr/local/pequalizer/pequalizer
(and click fixmenus)

...and I'm back to listening to a state of trance

[gychang]

Those numbers before the frequencies have changed in the new version, so amixer was refusing to take anything from pequalizer
To fix this, one has to edit /usr/local/pequalizer/func and change those numbers in lines 12-21:

1) FR="31Hz"; FREQ='01. 31 Hz';;
2) FR="63Hz"; FREQ='02. 63 Hz';;
3) FR="125Hz"; FREQ='03. 125 Hz';;
4) FR="250Hz"; FREQ='04. 250 Hz';;
5) FR="500Hz"; FREQ='05. 500 Hz';;
6) FR="1kHz"; FREQ='06. 1 kHz';;
7) FR="2kHz"; FREQ='07. 2 kHz';;
8) FR="4kHz"; FREQ='08. 4 kHz';;
9) FR="8kHz"; FREQ='09. 8 kHz';;
10) FR="16kHz"; FREQ='10. 16 kHz';;

so that they match the result above and look like:
1) FR="31Hz"; FREQ='00. 31 Hz';;
2) FR="63Hz"; FREQ='01. 63 Hz';;
3) FR="125Hz"; FREQ='02. 125 Hz';;
4) FR="250Hz"; FREQ='03. 250 Hz';;
5) FR="500Hz"; FREQ='04. 500 Hz';;
6) FR="1kHz"; FREQ='05. 1 kHz';;
7) FR="2kHz"; FREQ='06. 2 kHz';;
8) FR="4kHz"; FREQ='07. 4 kHz';;
9) FR="8kHz"; FREQ='08. 8 kHz';;
10) FR="16kHz"; FREQ='09. 16 kHz';;

and the same in line 43 and 75

I need to lower my high audio freq using FP64 since I have a flat panel speaker that need high freq attenuation. I installed the pet file as you referenced but little confused about the editing the func file. Using geany line 43 before has been modified, is this correct?, similarly do I modify the original line 75?

[bigpuppyfan]

In both lines 43 and 75, 01 should be replaced by 00, 02 by 01, etc

They should be:

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for VAL in '00._31_Hz' '01._63_Hz' '02._125_Hz' '03._250_Hz' '04._500_Hz' '05._1_kHz' '06._2_kHz' '07._4_kHz' '08._8_kHz' '09._16_kHz'; do

Not quite what you have done in the 2nd screenshot, I guess it might have been a little confusing - just paste the above in these 2 lines. What you pasted in the sceenshot is for lines 12-21

Or if you prefer, download the attached file, unzip it and replace the existing one in /usr/local/pequalizer/func

[gychang]

In both lines 43 and 75, 01 should be replaced by 00, 02 by 01, etc

Or if you prefer, download the attached file, unzip it and replace the existing one in /usr/local/pequalizer/func

thanks for the file, how do I verify the equalizer is active after a reboot?, or should I put a script in Startup folder?

[bigpuppyfan]

After you adjust your equalizer settings, save them in a preset. You can create a script in the startup folder to start pequalizer, though that will only launch the application and then you will manually have to select the preset.

However, if you are never going to change the frequency levels, one thing you can try on terminal is:

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alsactl store

And then copy /var/lib/alsa/asound.state to /etc/

I'm not entirely sure it will save the equalizer settings, but worth a try (backup your original asound.state in /etc/ just in case)

[orineu]

After you adjust your equalizer settings, save them in a preset. You can create a script in the startup folder to start pequalizer, though that will only launch the application and then you will manually have to select the preset.

Is this supposed to be changing levels while it runs? So you should be able to hear changes live, right?

[bigpuppyfan]

After you adjust your equalizer settings, save them in a preset. You can create a script in the startup folder to start pequalizer, though that will only launch the application and then you will manually have to select the preset.

Is this supposed to be changing levels while it runs? So you should be able to hear changes live, right?

Correct. And you won't lose the levels when you close it. Not entirely sure after a reboot, as above, as I only use puppy in PUPMODE=5

[orineu]

Correct. And you won't lose the levels when you close it. Not entirely sure after a reboot, as above, as I only use puppy in PUPMODE=5

sorry for inane questions, but ... is it supposed to work with pulseaudio, or is it outside the audio stream that goes to pulse?

(in case you hadn't gathered, it's in fact not working for me)

[amethyst]

pequalizer has always been a bit of a hit-miss for me. Effective when running some applications, does not work at all when running other applications in some Puppys. It does not work at all for me when running with Gnome Mplayer in Bionic 32 for example but does when running Gnome Mplayer in Precise.

[rockedge]

pequalizer has always been a bit of a hit-miss for me

Same for me. pMusic 6 is also on some systems really good and others refuses to work correctly.

[amethyst]

A better option is to cut out pequalizer and use a media player with a good equalizer (VLC has an excellent equalizer or DeadBeef)

[gychang]

A better option is to cut out pequalizer and use a media player with a good equalizer (VLC has an excellent equalizer or DeadBeef)

I needed an equalizer that was not application specific since my DIY speakers have too much high frequency. e.g. during youtube etc... I have used deadbeef with good control in past.

[gychang]

In both lines 43 and 75, 01 should be replaced by 00, 02 by 01, etc

Or if you prefer, download the attached file, unzip it and replace the existing one in /usr/local/pequalizer/func

thanks for the file, how do I verify the equalizer is active after a reboot?, or should I put a script in Startup folder?

am still having some difficulty, I tried to setup a pequalizer.desktop file to start on boot, but can't figure out how to minimize/hide the pequalizer screen after completing boot. On help section, there is no "minimize" "hide" option. Is there a way to hide the pequalizer app after it start?

[bigpuppyfan]

sorry for inane questions, but ... is it supposed to work with pulseaudio, or is it outside the audio stream that goes to pulse?

(in case you hadn't gathered, it's in fact not working for me)

I don't know much about pulseaudio, but I think it won't work. Pequalizer itself mainly passes commands to alsamixer. Like you can also adjust levels by running on terminal:

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alsamixer -D equal

(while you have pequalizer open, won't work without, as pequalizer also loads some modules)

If you run this, you will notice that it appears to create a virtual device, replacing the original stream with the altered one.

Also, because of how ALSA streams are designed, pequalizer only works if it is opened before the sound-generating application is running

[bigpuppyfan]

am still having some difficulty, I tried to setup a pequalizer.desktop file to start on boot, but can't figure out how to minimize/hide the pequalizer screen after completing boot. On help section, there is no "minimize" "hide" option. Is there a way to hide the pequalizer app after it start?

Unfortunately there is no in-built function to hide it. You could send it to a different desktop so it won't show up on your main desktop. There may be a way to minimize it to the tray on JWM, but I'm not sure how, it doesn't appear to be straightforward.

Also, note my post #2 above. Unfortunately, if you get sound from an application running as spot instead of running as root (almost always a browser), you would have to launch a separate pequalizer instance as detailed

[gychang]

am still having some difficulty, I tried to setup a pequalizer.desktop file to start on boot, but can't figure out how to minimize/hide the pequalizer screen after completing boot. On help section, there is no "minimize" "hide" option. Is there a way to hide the pequalizer app after it start?

Unfortunately there is no in-built function to hide it. You could send it to a different desktop so it won't show up on your main desktop. There may be a way to minimize it to the tray on JWM, but I'm not sure how, it doesn't appear to be straightforward.

Also, note my post #2 above. Unfortunately, if you get sound from an application running as spot instead of running as root (almost always a browser), you would have to launch a separate pequalizer instance as detailed

thanks for all your suggestions, I ended up using a script and send it to another virtual screen as the PC boots, sound is significantly improved.

[bigpuppyfan]

am still having some difficulty, I tried to setup a pequalizer.desktop file to start on boot, but can't figure out how to minimize/hide the pequalizer screen after completing boot. On help section, there is no "minimize" "hide" option. Is there a way to hide the pequalizer app after it start?

Have come across
https://oldforum.puppylinux.com/viewtop ... f221cb8b42

And as per the manual, the good news is that you can just run at startup

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pequalizer -s

and, if applicable to you

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run-as-spot pequalizer -s

Won't launch a window, and later, if needed when a stream is playing, you can still launch the application the standard way to adjust levels (according to the stream source, you would launch with root or with spot). Tried it and worked for me

[gychang]

am still having some difficulty, I tried to setup a pequalizer.desktop file to start on boot, but can't figure out how to minimize/hide the pequalizer screen after completing boot. On help section, there is no "minimize" "hide" option. Is there a way to hide the pequalizer app after it start?

Have come across
https://oldforum.puppylinux.com/viewtop ... f221cb8b42

And as per the manual, the good news is that you can just run at startup

Code: Select all

pequalizer -s

and, if applicable to you

Code: Select all

run-as-spot pequalizer -s

Won't launch a window, and later, if needed when a stream is playing, you can still launch the application the standard way to adjust levels (according to the stream source, you would launch with root or with spot). Tried it and worked for me

-s option solved the problem for me. I don't have to worrry about gui being placed in another virtual screen. Seems to work perfectly!!

[amethyst]

Just a note. I got pequalizer working with Gnome MPlayer in Bionic 32 after setting the audio output to ALSA in Gnome MPlayer's preferences.